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Pope to Orthodox Syrian Catholicos from India: let us work towards reconciliation,
unity

05/09/2013

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(Vatican Radio) May we “continue and intensify the commitment to ecumenism, encounter
and dialogue towards full communion:” with that message, Pope Francis on Thursday
welcomed in the Vatican Baselios Paulose II, Catholicos of the East and Metropolitan
of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. Tracey McClure reports:

In his remarks to the Catholicos, Pope Francis recalled the efforts
of his predecessor John Paul II and the former Catholicos Moran Mar Baselios Marthoma
Mathews I which led to the creation in 1990 of an ongoing commission which has laid
out agreements for the “common use of buildings of worship and cemeteries, the mutual
concession of spiritual and liturgical resources in specific pastoral situations,
and the necessity to identify new forms of collaboration” in the face of growing social
and religious challenges.

Noting that past relations between their two Churches
had been marred by “division and rivalry,” Pope Francis said he hoped both sides could
work towards reconciliation by cultivating a “culture of encounter” by “overcoming
prejudices and closed attitudes which are part of a kind of “culture of clashes” and
source of division.” He called for “prayer and commitment” in order to allow friendship
and cooperation to grow among the clergy, the faithful, and “among the various churches
born from the witness given by St Thomas.”

********************************************************************************Below
we publish the full text of Pope Francis’ address to His Holiness Baselios Marthoma
Paulose II, Catholicos of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church:

Your Holiness,
dear Brothers in Christ,

It is a joy for me to meet Your Holiness and the distinguished
delegation of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. Through you, I greet a Church
that was founded upon the witness, even to martyrdom, that Saint Thomas gave to Our
Lord Jesus Christ. The apostolic fraternity which united the first disciples in their
service of the Gospel, today also unites our Churches, notwithstanding the many divisions
that have arisen in the sometimes sad course of history, divisions which, thanks be
to God, we are endeavouring to overcome in obedience to Lord’s will and desire (cf.
Jn 17:21).

The Apostle Thomas exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” (Jn 2:28)
with one of the most beautiful confessions of faith in Christ handed down by the Gospels,
a faith which proclaims the divinity of Christ, his lordship in our lives, and his
victory over sin and death through his resurrection. This event is so real that Saint
Thomas is invited to touch for himself the actual marks of the crucified and risen
Jesus (cf. Jn 20:27). It is precisely in this faith that we meet each other; it is
this faith that unites us, even if we cannot yet share the Eucharistic table; and
it is this faith which urges us to continue and intensify the commitment to ecumenism,
encounter and dialogue towards full communion. With deep affection I welcome Your
Holiness and the members of your delegation and I ask you to convey my cordial greetings
to the Bishops, clergy and faithful of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. I also
greet to the communities you are visiting in Europe.

Thirty years ago, in
June of 1983, Catholicos Moran Mar Baselios Marthoma Mathews I paid a visit to my
venerable predecessor, Pope John Paul II and to the Church of Rome. Together, they
recognised their common faith in Christ. Afterwards, they met again at Kottayam,
in the Cathedral of Mar Elias, in February of 1986 during the pastoral visits of the
Pope in India. On that occasion, Pope John Paul II said: “With you I desire that our
Churches may soon find effective ways of resolving the urgent pastoral problems that
face us, and that we may progress together in brotherly love and in our theological
dialogue, for it is by these means that reconciliation among Christians and reconciliation
in the world can come about. I can assure you that the Catholic Church, with the commitment
she made at the Second Vatican Council, is ready to participate fully in this enterprise.”

From those encounters began a concrete path of dialogue with the institution
of a mixed commission, which brought to birth the agreement of 1990, on the day of
Pentecost, a commission which continues its important work and which has brought us
to significant steps on themes such as the common use of buildings of worship and
cemeteries, the mutual concession of spiritual and even liturgical resources in specific
pastoral situations, and the necessity to identify new forms of collaboration when
faced with growing social and religious challenges.

I wanted to recall some
of the steps in these 30 years of the growing closeness between us, because I believe
that on the ecumenical path it is important to look with trust to the steps that have
been completed, overcoming prejudices and closed attitudes which are part of a kind
of “culture of clashes” and source of division, and giving way to a "culture of encounter",
which educates us for mutual understanding and for working towards unity. Alone however,
this is impossible; our witnesses and poverty slow the progress. For this reason,
it is important to intensify our prayer, because only the Holy Spirit with his grace,
his light and his warmth can melt our coldness and guide our steps towards an ever
greater brotherhood. Prayer and commitment in order to let relationships of friendship
and cooperation grow at various levels, in the clergy, among the faithful, and among
the various churches born from the witness given by St Thomas. May the Holy Spirit
continue to enlighten us and guide us towards reconciliation and harmony, overcoming
all causes of division and rivalry which have marked our past. Your Holiness, let
us walk this path together, looking with trust towards that day in which, with the
help of God, we will be united at the altar of Christ's sacrifice, in the fullness
of Eucharistic communion.

Let us pray for one another, invoking the protection
of Saint Peter and Saint Thomas upon all the flock that has been entrusted to our
pastoral care. May they who worked together for the Gospel, intercede for us and
accompany the journey of our Churches.